The Lake at the Night Vale Waterfront Recreation Area
by SmurfyFriend
Summary: when there's suddenly a lake at the Night Vale Waterfront Recreation Area, Cecil goes to cover it and enjoy a day at the beach. but when a slip up lands Cecil in the water, Carlos finds himself begging for a second chance. TRIGGER WARNING: Near death experience, tooth-rotting hurt and comfort fluff
**Hello all!**

 **I got a little bored at work today. But I've been bouncing around this idea for awhile, and I wanted to play with it.**

 **I know. I'm evil to my OTP. But I love them, I promise!**

 **There's a couple different headcanons at play in this one.**

 **-Janice totally has a crush on Tamika Flynn (which, well fuck, I would have a crush on Tamika Flynn, jus' sayin')**

 **-Cecil wears glasses (other than that, I don't describe him in this. But if you're curious of my depictions of him, I describe him in other fics)**

 **-Cecil has a pet name for Janice because she is the smol perfect cinnamon roll too sweet for this world**

 **-Carlos wears glasses (Big thick cokebottle glasses that he wears like a fucking BOSS.)**

 **-Carlos is a bit overweight**

 **-Carlos grew up with a catholic family, but didn't really hang onto his religion when he moved out (with the whole, science and liking boys things)**

 **-Carlos speaks Spanish fluently and peppers it into everyday speak.**

 **ENJOY!**

"… Which is why, Dear Listeners, the Night Vale City Council has issued a ban on magazines, as well as books. And now, back to our coverage of the lake that's appeared at the Waterfront Recreation area." The Radio host idly wrapped his fingers in the cord of the microphone and wiped his forehead.

The sun was hot, as desert suns often were, and Cecil felt his bare back almost begin to burn. He took a sip of his iced coffee (a major indicator of the heat, as on any other day iced coffee was a cardinal sin to the self-proclaimed coffee snob), and continued. "As we mentioned earlier," Cecil said, adjusting the mobile broadcast station so that he had a little bit of shade. "This morning, without any kind of rainfall or otherwise, a lake appeared at the Waterfront Recreation area." He gazed out at the lake. "According to the scientists, it does not give off any kind of radiation, nor is it toxic, or have high concentration of alkaline, mercury, or otherwise. Apparently, according to the water table, it is actually more purified than our drinking water. Sooo, I guess the best way to beat the heat today is to take a beach day. I'm here, in my fuchsia swim shorts with the teal cat faces and pineapples, with the Mobile Broadcasting station. Carlos is also here, but not right here. He's currently studying the chemical makeup of the sand here, to see if it's different from the rest of the sand in Night Vale. My niece, Janice, and the rest of her family is here. She's just sitting on the pier that was there before, dangling her legs into the water."

Cecil glanced over to the pier his niece sat at, her wheelchair at the end with the sand so as to prevent an unfortunate accident. She had a sad smile, the kind that said she wanted to join her friends- Meghan Wallaby, and Rodger Harlan, and her 'totally not crush' Tamika Flynn- but at the same time she knew she couldn't. "She's not swimming, and I don't think she intends to, but she is simply enjoying the company of her other friends from school that are enjoying the water. She looks a little lonely, Listeners. I think I will join her." He cleared his throat, starting to stand from his seat. "Stay safe, Stay hydrated, and stay out of the Dog Park, Dear Listeners. Stay tuned next for the sounds of cat's purrs, followed by an eerily familiar bark you feel you should know, and feel you remember, but obviously do not. Good _Afternoon_ , Night Vale. Good _Afternoon._ "

He clicked the "Off" button on his microphone and took his bulky headphones off. The air that hit his ears was pleasantly cool, but he supposed it was because he had sweat so much with the headphones on. He made sure the Mobile Broadcast station was securely tethered to the cactus and would not wander off, then started off to where Carlos was still testing the sand.

Cecil smiled. Carlos was so attractive when he was all wrapped up in science. He looked attractive when he was not wrapped up in science, but he was especially attractive when he was. He was down on his knees, a small garden trowel in one hand and a series of test tubes behind him. His soft belly bulged out slightly, which Cecil knew was a sign he wasn't paying attention to anyone or anything around him (his lover was a little self-conscious about the small amount of pudge around his midsection, despite the fact Cecil loved it, and made a conscious effort almost at all times to keep his stomach slightly flexed). The Radio host knelt down next to him, kissing his cheek and snaking one arm around his waist. "Hi," he said, "Find any new scientific discoveries?"

Carlos turned, dark hair glimmering in the sun and glasses reflecting slightly. "Hi, sweetie." He smiled, "No, no new scientific discoveries. Turns out this sand is just- the same as all the rest of the sand."

"Aww," Cecil offered condolences to the lack of scientific discovery. "Sorry, honey."

"That's okay." Carlos smiled, putting a cork in the test tubes he had and brushing off his hands. "Just means I'm done with work and get to go on a beach date with my honey-voiced- hon-OOF!" Just at that moment, a volleyball that had seemed to conjure from thin air knocked into the side of his head.

"Carlos!" Cecil jumped slightly, "Oh dear, are you hurt!? Is this some new Sheriff's Secret Police method of letting you know you're done for the day?"

"No, but thank you for the ideas!" a voice seemed to come from a tree, one of those ones that had a sign that said "Totally not an undercover agent".

Carlos ignored the tree (fulfilling his legal requirements) and glanced in the direction the ball had come from. His pack of scientists were divided on either sides of a net strung between two poles, hooting and laughing like they'd seen something funny and not a perfect scientist receiving a knock to his perfect and lovely noggin. Scientists were pack animals, that's for certain, and while they recognized Carlos as the Alpha, that didn't mean he was exempt from their well-meaning teasing. "Hey, Boss!" a man, Dave, shouted over to them, "Now that you're done with the sand, come let loose a little!"

"Yeah, Carlos!" A girl, Rachelle, shouted as well. "Come on, it's not every day we have time off!"

Carlos smiled and rolled his eyes a little, and Cecil laughed. "Go have fun with your team." Cecil told him, patting his back.

"But I was going to have fun with you, Ceec. You sure you're okay with it?" Carlos offered a fake pout.

"I was thinking I'd go sit with Janice for a bit anyways," Cecil shrugged, a small smile over his face. "She looks like she could use some companionship from her favorite uncle."

"Aww," Carlos fake pouted again, "I'm wounded."

"One of her favorite Uncles." Cecil corrected himself, still keeping up his smirk. "Anyways, go bond with your pack."

"I think it's supposed to be 'team', Ceec. I guess one game wouldn't hurt" He said, then kissed his cheek as he started to stand, picking up the volleyball. "And Dave, your team is soooo gonna get it for that!" Cecil watched as he went off to join his pack, then stood, brushing sand off his swim trunks, and walked to the pier.

Cecil couldn't fight the prickle of uneasiness in his chest as he crossed the shoreline on the pier, but brushed it off and reminded himself it was for the second most precious thing in his life. "What's up, Buttercup?" he nudged her slightly once he reached her, offering a municipally approved greeting.

Janice glanced up at him through her rectangular glasses. "Hi, Uncle Cecil." She said, keeping that sad smile and watching her friends play on a floating log island a ways away.

Cecil nervously sat down next to her, swinging his feet off the edge of the dock. The water reached about to his anklebone, and it was pleasantly cool. "Something on your mind, Baby-bean?" the Radio host asked.

Janice snorted slightly at the nickname her Uncle had called her all her life. "I guess," she muttered, "It's just boring sitting here watching everyone play."

"I know how you feel," Cecil nodded sagely. "But that's what you have me for, right?"

"What about Uncle Carlos?" Janice asked him, genuinely curious. "Don't you want to swim in the water and spend time with him?"

Cecil tensed slightly at the word _"swim_ " but he quickly recovered. "Uncle Carlos is asserting his dominance as Alpha Scientist," Cecil explained casually, "Besides, he may be cute, but he's not nearly as cute as you."

"Well, duh," Janice offered him a cheeky smile.

Cecil smirked in reply, reaching up to muss her curly hair. "I decree we need some ice cream." Cecil stated, starting to stand.

Janice glanced behind him and gasped slightly in surprise. "Uncle Cecil, watch-!" it was too late.

Cecil turned to leave and was shocked by the face of his self-proclaimed nemesis, Steve Carlsberg, holding two ice creams. He watched as Steve started to say something but was more distracted by the feeling of falling, falling, falling- he felt a sharp pain to the back of his head as he was quickly engulfed in cold, and his vision went to black.

Carlos had finished the promised game with his scientists, beating down the opposing team as was also promised, and started to look for Cecil so they might have that promised date. He looked over to the pier where Janice was sitting, expecting to see him there. When he didn't, when he saw what looked like Steve Carlsberg and one of the interns from the radio station standing at the edge of the pier, seeming to look down while, he felt something in his heart twinge. "Hey, Carlos," The scientist glanced in the direction of the voice, seeing Cecil's childhood best friend, Earl Harlan.

"Hey, Earl." He replied. "Hey, have you seen Cecil? He said he was going to go sit with Janice but I don't see him on the pier."

"I haven't seen him," Earl shook his head, looking concerned. "Where is Janice, anyways?"

Carlos gestured to the pier, where Janice still sat. Earl paled considerably, and almost ran over. Confused and concerned, Carlos followed as fast as his bare feet would let him. "Steve, have you seen Cecil?" Earl almost demanded.

"Uncle Cecil's being a dork again." Janice laughed. "He saw Steve, and made that shrieky-squeal he does whenever he sees him, and fell into the water. He got me totally soaked! Now we're just waiting for him to come back up."

Steve chuckled good naturedly. "I brought him and Janice over some ice cream, since I saw them together, but I guess I must've startled him."

Earl was pale. He looked as though he was frozen to the spot. Carlos felt a slight tightening in his chest as he watched the surface of the water, a few bubbles lazily breaking the surface. He knelt down and looked at Janice, struggling to keep his voice even. "Sweetie," he tried to keep his voice from trembling. "H-how long ago did Uncle Cecil fall in the water?"

Janice shrugged. "Dunno… couple minutes now?"

Carlos felt bile rise in his throat. The scientist felt violently ill. "Carlos, Cecil can't swim." Earl's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Cecil," he felt his voice break as he rose to his feet, his hands shaking. "Janice, hold onto these for me." He hastily removed his square dark rimmed glasses, thrusting them in her hand, and took a few steps backwards.

He almost slapped himself in frustration. Cecil had never mentioned it before, but it wasn't a surprise at all to Carlos. They lived in a desert, there'd never been any large body of water here! How could he expect Cecil knew how to swim!? He felt his heart in his throat as he ran the distance to the edge of the pier, then dove into the cold water. For the first time since he left his parents' house and their catholic faith, Carlos prayed.

At first, Cecil thought he was floating through the void. It felt as though he was suspended in air, without any kind of gravity. It was relaxing, until the radio host went to inhale and was met with burning lungs. His eyes shot open in utter panic, remembering suddenly what had happened. His heart pounded against his ribs in pure horror as he clawed desperately at the water, trying fruitlessly to swim for the surface. His kicks and strokes were erratic and desperate, he found himself sinking, further and further down. His lungs felt as though they were going to explode. He opened his mouth, immediately regretting it as water filled his chest and the last of his air escaped in wobbly bubbles.

 _So this is it,_ Cecil would've cried had he not already been surrounded by water. _I don't get to watch Janice grow up… I don't get to do my show… I don't get to marry Carlos… I… I'll be alone…_

Cecil felt his vision blur. As he slowly drifted back into darkness, he could've sworn he saw someone, or some shadow, reaching for him as he sank into the Void. If he had the frame of mind, he would've smiled at the feeling of familiar arms wrapped around him.

Carlos gasped a half-desperate breath as he broke the surface of the water, his perfect hair stuck to his face. "I got him!" he shouted to no one in particular, one arm wrapped around the unconscious radio host and the other swimming to the ladder of the pier.

"Good job!" Earl said, he and Steve hauling the limp Cecil up onto the pier as Carlos climbed the ladder.

Before Earl or anyone else could do anything, Carlos was at his boyfriend's side. "Cecil? Sweetie? Ceec, wake up!" Carlos begged, patting his cheeks, trying desperately to rouse him. "Cecil, please wake up!"

He didn't linger too long on trying to wake him. Instead he moved so he was directly over his chest, moving his head so his airways were open, then put his hands over his chest, one hand locked over the other. It'd been a long time since he did his CPR class. And even then, he'd never had to use it until now. He took a deep breath as he started to press into his chest. He bit back the prickle of fear in his chest as he heard the sounds of little pops and crackles of broken ribs. But broken ribs was the least of his worries. "…twenty-nine, thirty!" he counted under his breath, then moved his hands back to Cecil's head. He fought the trembling in his hands, and kept himself from jerking Cecil's mouth open and head back. He used one hand to hold his jaw, and the other to pinch his nose as he locked his lips to Cecil's and breathed two controlled breaths into his lungs. He kept one eye down towards his chest, making sure he had the right angle and the air was going into his lungs, not his stomach.

Carlos fought the tears as he went back to chest compressions, counting under his breath. Cecil couldn't be dead. He COULDN'T.

Once he reached thirty again, he held Cecil's mouth open and breathed two controlled rescue breaths down his windpipe and into his lungs. He wiped at his forehead, catching his breath. He put his hands over his chest again, counting as he pressed. "Carlos…" Earl's voice was quiet and sad. "Maybe we should-"

"No, Earl. Twenty, twenty-one, twent-two…" he told him firmly.

"Carlos…" Earl said, more firmly this time, "He's been under for too long."

"I can save him. Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight…"

"Uncle Carlos?" Janice practically squeaked. "U-Uncle Cecil will be okay, right?"

Carlos didn't answer right away, instead finishing the count to thirty and putting his hands to Cecil's head again. "Y-yes, sweetie," he said, not trusting his own voice. "B-but here, hold onto his hand for me so he knows you're here. Okay?"

Carlos didn't wait for her to answer as he breathed two more rescue breaths, then returned to the chest compressions. "Come on, Ceec, don't do this to me… eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen," he begged, and counted.

He was exhausted, but he kept going. He felt his own breath get wheezy with the effort. Between the counting and compressing, he found himself praying again. Praying and bargaining. _If you let him live, I'll never work nights again,_ he begged, _I'll cook dinner every night. I'll never complain about him forgetting to empty the coffee filter again. I'll never get so wrapped up in science that I miss a date again. God, take me instead, just let him live._

Carlos nearly cried as he tilted Cecil's head up again, for the fourth time, and breathed two rescue breaths into his chest. He lingered for half a second, tears he had been fighting clouding his vision and tumbling from his eyes, but he soon returned to Cecil's chest, starting to press into his chest again. As he reached thirteen compressions, he felt his lover seize up on the dock below them, coughing.

The scientist smiled and shook his head, laughing in relief and staring up at the orange-colored sky and muttering in Spanish, thanking the God he once had his doubts was there, and rolled Cecil to the side facing him as the revived host vomited water and the remains of peanut butter oatmeal breakfast. "Carlos," his voice was raspy and almost a whimper, and it was the single most beautiful thing Carlos had ever heard.

"I'm here, Ceec," Carlos scooped him up, wrapping his arms around him in a tight hug once he was breathing semi-normally. " _Dios_ , Cecil…"

"C-Carlos," Cecil whimpered again, hugging him tightly and almost sobbing. "S-so scared, C-Carlos!"

"I know baby, I know," Carlos pulled away slightly, pressing his forehead to Cecil's, using his thumb to wipe his lips. "I was scared too."

He pressed a quick, chaste kiss to his lips, tears rolling down his cheeks. "S-Steve tried to kill me!" Cecil whimpered, burying his face in Carlos's shoulder.

"It was an accident, Ceec," Carlos assured him, "I promise, it was just an accident."

Cecil practically hissed, but kept his arms wrapped around Carlos. "Uncle Cecil?" Janice's voice was nervous and quiet. "Uncle Cecil, you're okay."

Cecil broke away his attention for a moment, looking over to Janice and half-dragging her into his arms, bringing her into the hug between he and Carlos. "Yes, B-Baby-bean," he half-whispered, "I'm okay…"

Carlos smiled, wiping at his eyes and taking his glasses back from Janice. "C-Carlos, c-can we go home now?" Cecil asked, eyes looking wide and frightened still, tears still bubbled in a small line just over his bottom eyelid, threatening to spill.

"Hospital first," Carlos said gently, slipping the thick plastic frames over his ears and nose, "just to make sure there's no more water in your lungs or stuff."

"Okay," Cecil murmured, his hands shaking, then felt his face almost frantically. "G-Glasses…? W-where-?"

"I don't know," Carlos shook his head, "I think they fell off when you went in."

"O-oh…" Cecil put his head down.

"It's okay." Carlos kissed his forehead, "you still have the spares in the glove compartment."

"Unless the Gloves ate them," Cecil muttered.

"They didn't," Carlos smiled, wiping at his eyes again as he helped him to his feet. "I checked the other day."

"G-good…" Cecil trembled as he started to stand, his knees shaking. "A-and the M-Mobile Broadcasting S-Station?"

"I'll ask Intern Joris to bring it back to the station later." Carlos assured him. "Try not to worry about it, honey. Let's just get you to a doctor so we can go home."

"Right…" Cecil murmured. "I love you, Carlos."

"I love you too, Cecil." Carlos wrapped his arm around his waist, helping him walk to the waiting ambulance, despite his own severe dislike of ambulances.

The visit to the hospital was mostly a blur. Some poking and prodding, a chest x-ray and wires to monitor his heart. Carlos only left Cecil's side when it was absolutely necessary, holding onto his hand and assuring him everything would be alright. Nearly six hours had passed since he was revived before they were released, and six and a half had passed before the shaken pair returned to their home. Carlos unlocked the door, whispering a limerick about the wildlife of Africa to make the key turn properly. He held the door open for Cecil, flicking the light switch on and closing the door behind him. He put the chain in the door lock, and walked to the kitchen, putting the lime-green kettle on the stove. "Tea?"

"Sure." Cecil murmured, arms wrapped around himself, making his way into the living room and settling down on their overstuffed couch. "w-with a little honey?"

"Honey for my honey-voiced-honey, roger that." Cecil could hear the small smile in his voice, and it alleviated some of the anxiety that had a hold over his heart.

It only took a minute or two for the kettle to make low moans of crippling self-doubt, and Carlos took it off the burner and turned off the stove. He poured the hot water into the mug he had prepared, dipping the tea-infuser ball into the mug. He put a spoonful of honey into it and stirred, putting the spoon into the sink before making his way to the living room. "There you go, baby." Carlos smiled, putting the hot mug down on the coffee table in front of them, despite its protest to tea instead of coffee in the mug it carried, and took the afghan from the back of the couch to wrap around the two of them.

"Thank you," Cecil smiled slightly, letting himself be wrapped up in Carlos's arms and the soft yarn of the blanket.

They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes. "I… I was so scared, _querido_." Carlos was quiet, his voice shaky again. "Y-you weren't waking up…"

Cecil didn't say anything. He just frowned. "I thought I'd lost you…" Carlos half-whispered, and it almost made tears come to Cecil's eyes. "I was praying, Ceec. I haven't done that since I lived with my family."

"I was scared too, Carlos." Cecil murmured, "I… I thought I wouldn't see you again… th-that I was going to die alone…"

"But you didn't," Carlos smiled, planting a kiss to his temple and keeping his lips pressed to his head. "You're here. I'm here. Our time and space again are aligned perfectly and imperfectly, and in nearly every sense of the word, we are together, and okay. And I intend to keep our time and space aligned as long as you will have me."

"And you say you're no good with words." Cecil laughed quietly, a smile in his voice. "My sweet, perfect, lovely Carlos, the hero."

"I'm no hero, _mi carino,_ " Carlos smiled gently, "I'm a scientist. One that's impossibly, incredibly, and irrevocably in love. And never going to let you go without a heckuva fight. You're kind of stuck with me, sweetie. "

Cecil smiled up at Carlos, gazing into his deep chocolate eyes. "I love you, Carlos." He smiled.

"I love you too, Cecil." Carlos replied, pressing a kiss to his lips.

 **Review, comment, favorite, watch, follow, feed your ninjas well, and stay out of the Dog Park!**


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